Grudge Match
Stars: Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger, Alan Arkin, LL Cool J
Let’s face it, Sylvester Stallone has never been much of an actor, his mouth full of marbles diction makes him incomprehensible, and the Botox has made his face immovable, rendering his expressions unreadable. But there are multiple reasons to see this film about two over-the-hill boxers who meet again in the ring; one is the the stellar cast, which includes Robert De Niro as the other ancient pugilist, and the hilarious Kevin Hart.
De Niro might seem like a counterintuitive choice to pair with Stallone, but both made epic boxing movies at the zenith of their respective careers, Raging Bull and Rocky, respectively. So maybe this isn’t as much a study of the erosion of the prowess of two former elite athletes as it is the cinematic denouement of two iconic characters. –p.d. lee
Opens in theaters nationwide Christmas Day.
